The Beatfonics Crew: Facebook / YouTube / SoundCloud

The accent might be a little thick for some to understand it all properly. Although it’s not a deal-breaker for me as you get passed that real quick. The overall combination of style, beats and rhymes are cool and I’m sure we will hear more from these blokes in the near future.

Have a suggestion for next week’s FF? Leave us a comment below and if it’s dope it may end up in part 58!

Somepling seems to be a creative soul as he created the music for the EP, but also the artwork. Which looks pretty darn good if you ask me. Check out his other project, Mellowbay Keys, as well. It’s all dope!

Too Many T’s – A funk infused party Hip-Hop duo from South London. A unique style of full fat beats stirred in with two heaps of sugary fresh raps, comical swagger and the distinct fragrance of golden era Hip-Hop. The line-up is simple emcee/producer/jokers Leon Rhymes and Standaloft.

Beats Amore is The Beatfonics’ way of paying homage to their home country, taking inspiration from classic Italian singers, composers and performers and adding their own twist to the sound. Check out the teaser for the EP below.

The EP comes out soon so keep your eyes peeled as we will post about it when it does, in the mean time, check out the crew other releases on their Bandcamp page here.

The Beatfonics Crew: Facebook / YouTube / SoundCloud

It’s a track by J. Cole, and it has that vibe, you know? THAT vibe. Real laidbackish and adding to the summervibe i’m currently in, enjoy!

Following Super Basement and Fuse The Witches, the new EP, Exquisite Basement exudes a grown sound from Jesse. Commencing with the house-like ‘Trouble Man’ – a glimpse into his more uptempo material – the EP showcases that typical Futerman dusty, jazz breaks soulful sound, but with more body and soul than ever before.

This is a short film about an outlaw alone and out of water in the middle of the desert. This bandit feels as if he’s being followed by his old partner however his partner has been dead for quite some time.

D-Sisive, Guilty Simpson, DJ Grouch, ELMNT, Brandon Dramatic, Roshin, JD Era, Relic, Saukrates, Apollo, Wordsworth, Ghettosocks, Fraction, Prince Po, Maya Killtron, Skyzoo. Need I say more?

All songs are official remixes from these artists original projects.

All beats and production by The Extremities aka Fresh Kils & Uncle Fester

The Extremities: Twitter

His rhyme schemes give him a nice, bouncy flow. Check it.

ILL-Legitimate: .Com/Twitter/Facebook

The mix consists of dope and often rare (at least to Rahdu) soul tracks, check it out!

DJ Rahdu: Twitter
BamaLoveSoul: Twitter

This is my first time hearing Bouzi’s work and I must say that I am impressed, Dust to Dusk is put together with finesse and a lot of skill. His loop work is impeccable and he manages to capture the original samples colour which adds to the feel of the entire project. He clearly knows his way around a sample and builds beats you cant help but nod to, he also utilizes well picked vocal samples to add flourishes that fit perfectly.

Malcolm Bouzi: Twitter / SoundCloud

ChilltownTV: .Com / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube

Full Crate X Mar – Nobody Else (Club Edit)

@MarMusic

Aaliyah – Rock The Boat (Duncan Gerow Remix)

Ciara X Ludacris X Timbaland – Ride (Duncan Gerow Remix)

@duncangerow

Melo-X – Lana Del Rey : Video Games (Remix/Cover)

@MeLoXTRA

Macy Gray – I Try (Jay Dee Remix)

Kon-Tempt – Tupac X Gnarls Barkley Remix

@therealkontempt

Really gives you that feeling that only this type of upbeat music can.

Feel good beat, lyrics about a troubled relationship.

Jay’s style is heavily influenced by that classic boom bap style that all hip hop heads feel a connection to and he executes it well on Patience & Persistence. He has really started to develop as a beat maker and improves with each beat I hear from him, if you are a lover of beats, this tape is a solid effort that you will enjoy.

Jay C Beats: SoundCloud / YouTube

Hefna Gwap is a member of The Smokers Club, a crew of dedicated Hip Hop artists that love a good doobie once in a while. I am Dutch so I can’t hate on that now can I? Nuff said, let’s blaze up and kick back.

Want to have some visuals with that song you just heard? Check out the official video for “Bobo” here.

Immediately, I heard her ability to rhyme on a relatively complex level, more complex than a lot of emcees in general, and certainly more complex than most female rappers specifically. I thought of Pun due to her flow at parts, and she mentioned Pun later in the verse. She definitely needs to get more intensity in her delivery, though.

Miss Meth – be louder, that alone’ll give your voice more animation and make you sound better. Also, sometimes the execution of what you’ve written is slightly off, be mindful of how your syllables actually come out of your mouth. You have a lot of potential, just focus on how you sound and your execution.

Chrystal Meth: Twitter/Soundcloud/Facebook/Youtube

Multies everywhere, sometimes overdone and they get in the way of wording and end up with weird phrasing to keep the rhymes going, though it’s generally well executed. Ill beats, nice flow(s), sounds comfortable and confident at the mic. He sounds experienced, and with his grasp on advanced writing techniques, it seems he probably is. Lack of good hooks, though, but there’s definitely nothing bad either. This is mostly going to appeal to either other emcees, or those who listen either purely, or mostly, to feed the mind, and not really for the vibe, although the beats do cover that, and he does gel well with the beats, which adds to the creation of a dope vibe. The best overall track is track 5 – “It’s Been a While”, a great hook, and little singing type bits sprinkled about it, and it really brings it all together, to create a nice, properly glued together song, rather than just being a rapper going in on a beat and being like ‘oh yeah, yeah, yeah….a hook’.

I do want to point out, though, that this is a mixtape and generally, on mixtapes, people are trying to display their skill and really show what they can do, and being hooky and everything isn’t at the forefront of the mind. Myniakal can really rap, and there’s plenty of potential there for his skills translating to making great music, this is absolutely worth listening to, especially for those who can hear what he is actually doing.

Myniakal: Facebook/Youtube

These guys aren’t the best rappers, though they really tap into what is relevant, make aware-ignorant music in that at least a couple of them (maybe more) know what they’re doing (and probably could really rap if they wanted to), and will know that this type of music is generally filled with mindless idiots, and have the potential to become pretty big, based on the fact that they are relevant and their sound could easily appeal to the masses. They do music that is hard to do well, well. Nice vibe and not too simplistic. This is something to listen to if you want to listen to something with a more commercial appeal, but don’t want to be dishonest intellectually.

Advice – what you’re missing is consistency. More music, much more, more videos, just put more shit out. Check this.

The Sandbox Conglomerate: Twitter/Facebook/Youtube/Tumblr

Remember, you can suggest an instrumental for next week by leaving a comment below!

The off-beat style is applied really well here, the drums sooth the bobbin’ of your neck really well. On top of that the melodies compliment the wording of the flowing artists, making this album a mixture of awesome audible vitamines. Repeat it! It’s good for your health.

It seems the album was deleted and is no longer available

GG DOOM! BUT HOW? is filled with classics that sound like they were meant as the originals. The way a dope remix tape should sound. My hats of to you Grip Grand! I’m a big fan of MF Doom and this will keep me noddin’ my head for a long long time.

A word from Grip Grand:

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the popularity of this project I keep running out of FREE DOWNLOAD credits. So now you can name your own price, from $0.00 on up. If it won’t LET you choose zero, I am OUT of free credits again, but will try to get more ASAP. Or, if you like, donate a few bucks to the cause. But there is now is a permanent free download link just in case at www.gripgrand.com

Peace and respect to you all!

Although this is not my favorite track of Hefna, I didn’t want to withhold this freshly shot video of 28 grams from our dedicated fans. Compared to “Ana” this is completely different in my opinion, but we can still recognize the qualities of Hefna Gwap as a rapper. Some might disagree or prefer a different style, but give it a chance. You might smoke your 28 grams sooner than later. Just like these panda’s.

The team are all skilled producers and make really well put together beats, every one I have heard has a dope vibe and is technically solid. They have an enjoyable style, taking inspiration from the likes of J Dilla which is obvious but by no means do they sound like Dilla clones, bringing their own sound to the table as well.

They will definitely appeal to other producers out there or anyone that loves beats. You can check out their full length beat tape from last year by clicking here, I also have word that a new tape is currently in the works. There is no set date on a release but keep your eye on the site as we will be posting it as soon as it drops!

Losco: Twitter / Facebook / SoundCloud

Jurassic 5: Twitter / Facebook

There isn’t much to say about this, Dave is incredible so hit play and enjoy.

All credit for this audio goes to YouTube user Todd Parker who you can subscribe to here.

Microphones

Shure SM-58

The SM-58 is a dynamic microphone, these types of mics are usually used for live performances, whereas condenser mics are used for studio recording, however the SM-58 rivals any condenser mic in its price range and most that are more expensive than it. It is extremely durable, has a crisp clear sound without being too dry, and is highly regarded and widely used and has been for years. It is a classic mic.

Behringer XM8500

The Behringer XM8500 could work as an alternative to the SM-58 if you cannot afford it. They are extremely cheap considering their quality, they have a good dynamic range, their sound is of a high standard and is very clear although it is not quite as crisp as the SM-58 when it comes to the higher ranges. They are very sturdy and have a good weight in your hand, perfect for a musician on a budget.

Rhode NT1A

This is a condenser mic intended for studio recordings and is extremely warm, crisp, full, colourful and resonant. Condenser wise, there very well might not be a better mic within its range, it might even be the best condenser microphone that is affordable at all for anybody recording at home.

Samplers

Akai MPC 500

When it comes to samplers, Akai have long been the market leaders. The MPC 500 is the perfect hardware sampler for beginners and musicians on the move. Considering its price and size, it is a powerful machine, unless you are creating massive projects you will be hard pushed to feel constricted by it. It is both outlet, and battery power which mean you can take it practically anywhere which allows for a lot of freedom creatively.

Native Instruments Maschine

The Maschine is both hardware and software based which is becoming almost essential for the modern music producer. This allows you to quickly and easily carry out tasks that would have involved multiple piece of kit, and extended periods of time not actually creating music. It has been backed by many of the world’s top producers, and has quickly established itself a force to be reckoned with within sampling.

External Soundcard/Pre-amplification

Alesis IO2 / IO4

If you wish to record music to a high, or even decent standard, you will need at least an external sound card (via a preamp/interface) or if you are using a condenser mic, you will also need phantom power to even get it to work. You could get a standalone pre-amp, you could get a mixer or you could get an interface. The preamps in mixers aren’t the highest quality because the focus isn’t just on the preamp (and you can mix digitally anyway), so your optimal choice would be between a standalone preamp or an interface. Even if you aren’t using a condenser, you should get one with phantom power just incase you ever get one. The Alesis I02/I04 is a high quality, simple, and easy to use interface that is completely affordable, and it has phantom power.

Software

Propellerhead ReCycle

Recycle is a software based audio slicing tool, it is simple and easy to use, has built in effects, a clear interface and is one of the best standalone slicers on the market. If you are into sampling or just want to slice up a loop, this should be your first choice.

Adobe Audition

Adobe Audition is one of the best balanced DAW (Digital Audio Workspace) available, combining power, effectiveness and relative ease of use. Whatever you need to do you can do on here, if you are looking for something free, don’t download Audacity, click the thumbnail, and you’ll be taken to a place where you can get Adobe Audition 3 for free.

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Do you have an equipment recommendation of you own? Let us know below.

Follow us: @88tillofficial/Facebook/Soundcloud/Tumblr/Youtube/Pinterest

Leave a comment below and let us know which beat from part 55 is your favourite or drop us a suggestion for next week!

There isn’t a whole lot I need to say about the track, the vibe is dope, the beat is funky with classic sounding drums and a bouncing bass line and Ivan is at a good level lyrically with good content. He also holds his own and is passable when it comes to the singing on the hook, which really heightens the overall feel of the track.

Ivan Ave: Facebook / Twitter

The whole vibe of Wonderfool is extremely ill, it’s laid back, soulful and fits perfectly with the concept of the song. The beat from loop.holes is really dope, as usual, they consistently put out instrumentals that are incredibly well produced and have a great sound. Thrett is also very nice on the track, his content is on point, as are his schemes and use of rhymes in general. He also has a really nice delivery which suits the style of the song and adds to the overall feel. If the entire album is like this, it will definitely be worth checking out when it drops.

Phantom Thrett: Twitter / Facebook
loop.holes: Facebook / SoundCloud

When the EP drops is unknown at this time, but we will keep an eye on Mongoose and Pushroom and shoot you all a line when the EP has dropped. Easy does it.

Never too late is a 7-track EP and wraps you in warm and soulful Hip Hop. It’s the first EP these artists have created together, it is a warm and jazzy beat filled EP. If you’re smart you will purchase this EP because this is one of those releases you don’t want to miss. It’s never too late!

Giant Panda consists of long-time and childhood friends Newman and Maanumental from Seattle and Chikaramanga, a Tokyo native. They’re based out of LA together.

Obviously Giant Panda was big among the more involved Hip Hop fans. I bet half of our readers have never even heard of the group and I want to change that right here, right now. No pun intended, you can probably introduce me to groups I should have heard of, let that be clear (and feel free in the comments below). Tres Records was responsible for the release of “Fly School Reunion” back in 2005, but the group has released another album with the same label in 2008 by the name of Electric Laser. Short from a few singles they haven’t released anything else after that last album. At least not that I know of. Hook me up Giant Panda!

It’s such a dope album that I’ve been listening to “Super” for days now before all the tracks were released to stream. The album was released today (16th of April) and yeah, sorry Urbnet, I was hoarding your play-stats on Bandcamp. Check out the entire album and you will not be disappointed.

You can stream the album below and purchase it of Bandcamp or purchase it through iTunes.

While this may sound far fetched, give it more thought: They were the most prominent group to ever represent the spirit of black power. They were a bunch of random black men from New York, some of which didn’t even get along with each other in the streets, but they came together to form voltron and make classic music 100% on their terms. Their creation mirrors the coalition of the black panthers and many other neighborhood civic organizations (even if in 2013 they are misrepresented as violent gangs).

To put it bluntly, no one ever fucked with the Wu. From the debut of Protect Ya Neck to the heights of Wu-Tang forever even to their last album, they did what they wanted, said what they wanted, made the music they wanted, and everyone loved it. If they are not the most universally respected brand in Hip-Hop history, they are definitely in the discussion.

The pitfalls that befell so many crews in Hip-Hop history did not happen for the Wu, or at least not before they made their full mark.

They were never extorted by drug dealers who “funded” labels and forced them to make out of character records, or dangerously lulled them into perilous menageries ala Death Row Records or Murder Inc.  Their network was too large and entrenched to ever be manipulated or feel threatened.

After founding member RZA’s “5 year plan” to roll the brand out was over, the Wu branched out and had opportunities to become entities in their own right. Crews like Rocafella records, Bad Boy records, and the Dungeon family  (among others) had good runs, but once their peak was over or the stars ventured off, the rest of the members faltered. They were never developed to be standalone stars.

Ghostface Killah and Method Man would be top tier Hip-Hop legends if 36 Chambers and Wu Tang forever didn’t exist. GZA and Raekwon are underground stalwarts as well. All were able to springboard their careers off the strength of classic solo albums that showcased them in the crew’s prime. That was a direct effect of RZA’s forward thinking.

A newer producer or entrepreneur would be wise to emulate that layout to give he and his crew maximum sustainability.

There is strength in numbers. In an industry where labels can leverage uncooperative artists with decreased exposure and they have no choice but to acquiesce, The Wu was known to roll 500 deep sometimes, literally..do you think any A&R would want an issue with a mob of that magnitude?

While older solo acts are venturing into middle age, and carbon copies spring up every day to eventually suffer the same fat, cities should have one or two producers in the trenches studying this format. They should be getting a crew of their best local artists together to say:

This is our city, our sound, our perspective. We will be able to break out as individuals and have our own “chambers”, but it’s understood that we’re not to be commodified on anything but our own terms, lest you want the wrath of the entire crew.

Society, especially Hip-Hop fans, have an inherent admiration of industriousness and innovation. When we love something, we’ll make it mainstream even if it doesn’t have the stereotypical mainstream appeal. The RZA was a visionary who realized this and capitalized off of it like no other, and Hip-Hop awaits his successor. Hopefully “he” comes in droves, because that’s perhaps the only way to force artistic integrity back into Hip-Hop.

The overall feel of The City is dope, it has a real hip hop sound that makes you want to nod along as soon as it starts and the hook is catchy, adding to the vibe of the track. Lyrically Silver is on point, he has nice schemes and his rhymes are well put together, content wise it isn’t incredible and could use a little work but it’s by no means wack either. The video from TDSLR Photography is also put together with a professional touch and fits the style of the song. All in all it is a solid single and sets a good standard for the full tape which drops sometime in May.

Silvertongue: Facebook / Twitter

This entire tape is incredibly laid back and relaxed, the atmosphere is thick and slightly lazy sounding. He creates a really dope vibe throughout, they are the type of beats that are perfect to throw on when you just want to zone out and put your feet up for a while. S.F.T is clearly a skilled producer with an interesting style and Vibrations is great at demonstrating that fact. There isn’t a whole lot left to say about it, click play and let it take your stress away.

S.F.T: Facebook / Twitter / SoundCloud

Really feeling one of this week’s beats? Let us know by leaving a comment below, you can also leave suggestions for the next instalment of Freestyle Friday!

Wachstum was released in March 2013 by Jakarta Records and is available on CD, LP and as a Digital copy. Stream it here:

If you need to bang out some aggression or want to duke it out in the gym, this track will surely kick your adrenaline up a notch.

Quantity Matters, you will be throwing your work out into a sea of other aspiring professionals, quite literally millions of them. Forget quality over quantity, as the strict rule that it is, if you want to find out why in depth, click the link here. We done an article on it previously.

Make sure to utilize social media such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and so on, and truly be involved because in order to create a social buzz, you actually have to be social. Make sure to really be active, don’t just spam your pages with promotion and links, allow your personality to show through and make connections with people. See it as making friends not fans, don’t try to be the distant celebrity.

Collaborate with other musicians, particularly those with an already standing social buzz in order to introduce each others fan bases to each other.

For a social buzz you need to socialize and connect, it takes effort and you actually have to work at it.

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Connect with us: Facebook/Twitter/Tumblr/Soundcloud/Pinterest

Hefna Gwap is the newest member of the Smokers Club and hails from Palo Alto, California. His delivery on this track is bananas if you ask me and after listening to it once, you just want to hit replay. The overall style and vibe is just so catchy that I want to burst out and dance like this sexy panda.

Want to find out more on Hefna Gwap and the entire Smokers Club? Go to Hefna Gwap’s personal website or visit the Smokers Club website.

The formula to Hip Hop is a simple one. Regardless of what gets added to or extracted from it, quality beats and rhymes remain the key ingredients transcending trends, technology and tastes.

My favorite is “SONGS”, what is yours? Leave us a note!

“Yeah, I am out in France, can I still get mine?”

Of course silly! All the collaborations we’ve done have been international. So whether you are out in Germany, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Great Britain, USA, Austria, Switzerland or even Liechtenstein. We got you buddy.

More about Carhartt

Hamilton Carhartt was born in 1855 in Macedon Lock, New York. He grew up in Southern Michigan and his entrepreneurial style was reflected in the modifying of his last name by adding an extra “t” to ensure he would stand out from other businessmen. He initially established a furnishing business which would continue to drive his ambition to succeed and lead him to create his own products.

With some helpful advice from his first potential buyer, he realized his products had to be different. After talking with a railroad engineer, he created an overall garment specifically for the railroad worker which had never been made before. Hamilton Carhartt founded his namesake company in 1889 and began making work wear with a single goal in mind: Set a standard of excellence to which all others would aspire. Starting with only 4 sewing machines and about 5 employees, the first products manufactured were overalls in duck and denim fabrics. By traveling from town to town and visiting each railroad division, he was able to establish himself in the overall business. With entrepreneurial vision and determination, Hamilton Carhartt established a brand that has stood the test of time.